Married, with short-game issues

Tiger Woods usually returns from three- and four-week layoffs as if he never left the PGA Tour. That much was true Thursday in the Tour Championship. Woods (above) has struggled to find fairways, and his short game has been mediocre most of the year. Getting married Oct. 5 in Barbados, and spending a three-week honeymoon on his yacht in the Caribbean, didn't change a thing. "It's a little rusty, no doubt about that," Woods said. He wound up with a 72 for the first round in Atlanta, marking his first round over par since the PGA Championship.

Buckeyes' Ross cleared in scandal

Ohio State's top rusher, Lydell Ross, was cleared Thursday of allegations that he passed fake in-house currency at a Columbus strip club hours after the team's loss at Iowa last month. Ross, a senior tailback, had been named in a complaint filed by Pure Platinum after he allegedly handed a dancer at the club $50 worth of fake or stolen Pure Platinum bills to pay for a dance Oct. 17. Columbus police determined that the Pure Platinum bills in question might have been old, unmarked bills printed by a previous owner. Ross was suspended for the Indiana game and did not play last week. Coach Jim Tressel said Ross probably will play this week at Michigan State.

XU men picked 2nd in A-10 West

The Atlantic 10 media and coaches predicted the Xavier men will finish second in the A-10 West behind George Washington, and placed junior guard Dedrick Finn on the preseason A-10 second team. Sophomore forward Justin Doellman made the third team, and freshman Churchill Odia made the all-rookie team. Xavier's women were predicted to finish third in the A-10 West, and junior Tara Boothe was named to the first team. Sophomore Suntana Granderson was a third-team selection, and freshman Brittney Picconi made the all-rookie team.